Chapter 12 Yam Cake, Silk Threads

When Lu Qing awoke from his deep slumber, the first sound he heard was Little Yan's joyful laughter.

He looked at himself and noticed the silver needles were gone, replaced by a thin blanket covering his body.

He had no idea how long he had slept.

Lu Qing thought to himself as he threw off the blanket and put on his upper garment, then stepped outside.

In the courtyard, he saw Old Doctor Chen sitting at a stone table with Little Yan.

He couldn't tell what they were discussing, but both were laughing heartily.

Especially Little Yan who, holding a piece of white pastry, looked particularly happy.

"Brother, you're awake!"

Little Yan, giggling, was surprised to see Lu Qing emerge from the house.

She hopped down from the stone bench with a thud and passed the pastry to Lu Qing.

"Brother, look, this is a yam cake made by Grandpa Chen. It's really tasty. Do you want a piece?"

Lu Qing did not take the pastry but turned to Old Doctor Chen, "Grandpa Chen, I hope Little Yan hasn't been causing you any trouble?"

Old Doctor Chen waved his hand dismissively, "Not at all, Little Yan's innocence and cheerfulness make me quite happy. How are you feeling after just waking up?"

"I feel very good," Lu Qing moved his body slightly, "It feels like I've suddenly gained a lot of strength. Grandpa Chen, am I fully recovered now?"

"Don't be so naive," the elder doctor chuckled, "You were quite depleted, with a weak foundation. You need to slowly recuperate to fully recover. The Strengthening Needle I applied only temporarily stimulated your Primordial Qi, which is why you feel an illusion of increased strength."

"You'll need to continue with medicinal diet to replenish your body's deficiencies and recover fully."

"Here, have some of these yam cakes. Not only did I make them for Little Yan, but for you as well. Try a few pieces."

"Yam is good for nourishing the spleen and lungs, as well as fortifying the kidneys and essence, which is exactly what you need."

The elder doctor pushed the plate of pristine yam cakes forward on the stone table, gesturing for Lu Qing to take some.

Lu Qing gazed at the plate of yam cakes with hesitation, "Grandpa Chen, these yam cakes must be quite precious, right?"

"Not particularly precious. They're rare to find outside, but the mountains here have plenty. They're not too difficult to find, and I still have some stored. Please, go ahead and eat."

Elder Doctor Chen noted Lu Qing's reservations and reassured him with a warm voice.

He made it sound easy, but Lu Qing knew better.

Everyone was aware of the dangers in the mountain forests; it was the Herb Gatherer's skill that brought these yams.

To regard these yam cakes as trivial would be overly naive.

Nonetheless, he realized that if Elder Doctor Chen had come this far in offering, it would be too pedantic for him to refuse.

So, he gave Elder Doctor Chen a deep bow and expressed his gratitude, "Then I deeply thank you, Grandpa Chen."

After saying so, he sat down beside the stone table and began to eat a piece of yam cake.

The cake was soft and fragrantly sweet, very delicious.

Even for someone like Lu Qing who had tasted various modern pastries in his previous life, he found it exceptionally tasty.

He focused on the cake in the plate, and as he did so, a white glow and a string of words appeared.

[Yam cake: A pastry made primarily with yam.]

[Good for fortifying the spleen and lungs, strengthening the kidneys and vital essence, it seems to have significant restorative effects.]

Superpower's evaluation echoed exactly the effects Old Doctor Chen had mentioned.

"Brother, isn't it delicious?" asked Little Yan with pride.

"Indeed, it's very tasty," Lu Qing nodded honestly.

Master Chen kept an eye on Lu Qing and saw that after he had eaten a few pieces of the yam cake, he stopped, prompting Master Chen to nod to himself internally.

Despite being hungry, he maintained his manners in front of the delectable food, without giving into gluttony.

Lu Qing's performance had satisfied him quite a bit.

In the past, he had not noticed that there was such a special youth in the village.

However, it was still a bit too early to draw conclusions, he needed to observe for a while longer.

Thinking of the idea that had come to him during Lu Qing's fainting spell, Old Doctor Chen pondered for a moment.

Then he said, "Lu Qing, you mentioned an interest in medicinal herbs, do you want to learn medicine?"

"I wouldn't dare to speak blindly of learning medicine," Lu Qing quickly responded. "I've merely witnessed the wonder of medicinal herbs and am drawn to it."

"Grandpa Chen is also aware that my family has suffered misfortune, with both parents passed on, and our household is as poor as can be. Relying solely on those two meager acres of land, it's really hard to get by."

"That's why I thought, if I could learn a bit about identifying and gathering herbs, perhaps I could use that skill to support my sister and myself."

"Gathering herbs is indeed a way out," Old Doctor Chen nodded. "But this path is not easy either; there are many dangers in the mountains, and becoming a skilled Herb Gatherer is not so simple."

"One has to try to know, and besides, what work in this world is easy?"

"True, there is no work in this world that's easy," Old Doctor Chen approved. "It's rare to see someone with your understanding."

"If that's the case, then starting from the next time, after you're done with your acupuncture, stay and help me dry the herbs. How much you remember will depend on your perceptiveness."

"Thank you, Grandpa Chen."

Although he had heard the elder doctor mention this before, hearing it again still filled Lu Qing with joy.

"Grandpa Chen, why can't you teach my brother today?" Little Yan asked.

The little one had been listening for a while and seemed to have understood a bit.

"Today won't do," Old Doctor Chen laughed. "Today, Grandpa Chen has to make a trip into town and doesn't have that much time."

Into town?

A thought stirred in Lu Qing's heart, but he held back.

His behavior today had already been somewhat out of line; it wouldn't be appropriate to pry further.

After all, even if he knew what was happening in the city now, it wouldn't be of much use to him.

However, Little Yan had no such reservations; hearing that Old Doctor Chen was going into town, she immediately widened her curious eyes.

"Grandpa Chen, what's it like in the city?"

"The city, well, that's not something one can describe in a moment. When Little Yan grows up, you can go see for yourself. The city is much better than the countryside in ways you wouldn't believe."

Little Yan's face immediately lit up with longing.

Even Lu Qing was surprised.

From the elder doctor's words, the city seemed to indeed hold some sort of mystery.

The three chatted for a while longer before the elder doctor stood up.

"Alright, you should head back now; I need to prepare myself for the trip into town. Lu Qing, remember to come back for another Strengthening Needle in three days."

Seeing the elder doctor getting ready to leave, Lu Qing hesitated for a moment but then said, "Grandpa Chen, there's something I wish to ask you about."

"Oh, what is that?"

"I would like to ask about a type of thread — one that's very strong and not prone to snapping."

"Thread? What do you need it for?"

Lu Qing weighed his words carefully before speaking, "Yesterday, I went fishing by the river, and I realized that I might have some talent for angling. However, the fishing rods made from hemp thread at home aren't very sturdy. If I apply a bit of force, the line tends to break, preventing me from catching big fish."

"So I wanted to ask Master Chen if there is any type of thread that's particularly strong and suitable for making a better fishing rod."

"Strong thread..." The elder doctor fell into thought upon hearing Lu Qing's words.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, he walked toward the house.

"Wait here for me."